Ian Birch
Ian Birch wrote for Melody Maker, Smash Hits and other magazines before becoming Editorial Director at EMAP and editing TV Guide in America. He is currently Director of Editorial Development & Special Projects at Hearst Magazines.
81 articles
List of articles in the library
Kansas: Wayward Sons in Slot Machine City: Kansas
Report and Interview by Ian Birch, Melody Maker, 25 February 1978
TWO DAYS in Las Vegas and your grip on sanity begins to slip. You can even buy a T-shirt there emblazoned with the gem: "I've ...
Interview by Ian Birch, Melody Maker, 3 September 1977
SOMETIMES you feel so...er, hypocritical. Let me explain. The project in hand was an interview with The Only Ones, who over the last couple of ...
Profile and Interview by Ian Birch, Melody Maker, 13 May 1978
Ian Birch introduces Ohio's latest 'overnight sensation', Pere Ubu ...
Review by Ian Birch, MOJO, June 1994
"I love Dusty Springfield. I wanted to name our daughter Dusty but I knew we couldn't because, I mean, Dusty Springsteen...She had a nice big, ...
Jonathan Richman & the Modern Lovers: Hammersmith Odeon, London
Live Review by Ian Birch, Melody Maker, 24 September 1977
IT CONFOUNDED all expectations. Cross a children's pantomime with a Charlie Chaplin movie and filter it through a gawky highschool kid who mimes awful ...
Interview by Ian Birch, Melody Maker, 11 November 1978
LAST Saturday in Cleveland, Ohio, the bona fide booji were out in force on the street. In America, any event (however minor) is invariably heralded ...
Talking Heads: De Montfort Hall, Leicester
Live Review by Ian Birch, Melody Maker, 1 December 1979
THE apres-gig lig is, as usual, gruesome. ...
Report and Interview by Ian Birch, Melody Maker, 11 March 1978
THEY SEEMED to come out of nowhere: Dire Straits, that is. Suddenly last year London's bitter-and-Number-Six grapevine was buzzing with the name. Everyone wanted to ...
The Only Ones: Even Serpents Shine (CBS)
Review by Ian Birch, Melody Maker, 1979
SINGLES can often be deceptive signposts for forthcoming albums. When ‘You've Got To Pay’ slipped out a few weeks back, it didn't augur well for ...
Jonathan Richman: In Love With The Modern World
Profile by Ian Birch, Melody Maker, 17 September 1977
On the eve of Jonathan Richman's first British tour, Ian Birch traces his career ...
Profile and Interview by Ian Birch, Smash Hits, 12 November 1981
From the underground...To the charts? We want hits, say the former cult heroes. Quite right, says Ian Birch. ...
Jefferson Starship's Paul Kantner
Interview by Ian Birch, ZigZag, November 1976
LIKE A KANTNER COMPOSITION, this interview was virtually plucked out of the air. I was all set to leave San Francisco but, knowing the Jefferson ...
Doll By Doll: Entropy Is Just Another Word For Nothing Left To Lose
Interview by Ian Birch, Melody Maker, 16 September 1978
"If you go walking in the street today/be sure and listen what the young boys say/they know the colour of speed is red/you don't become ...
Earth Quake, Greg Kihn, Jonathan Richman, The Rubinoos: Beserkley Records: The Fabled Label
Overview by Ian Birch, Sounds, 16 October 1976
SOME PLACES become legendary. Mystical meccas for the besotted. That is usually until you sample them first hand. ...
Punishment Of Luxury: Dishing out Punishment
Interview by Ian Birch, Melody Maker, 9 September 1978
"It's really crazy to think you've got to get crazy to be happy. I don't think you can be so logical as to estimate your ...
The Ramones: Ulster Hall, Belfast
Live Review by Ian Birch, Melody Maker, 30 September 1978
IT WAS A TRICKY confrontation. John Ramone stepped out of the hotel lift and after a brief moptop nod of recognition dived into the obvious ...
Report and Interview by Ian Birch, Melody Maker, 9 December 1978
"Because Fay and I are going out together, when you have a group argument it invariably gets personal. Things that you dislike about people become ...
The Sex Pistols: Sex Pistols Bootlegs
Review by Ian Birch, Melody Maker, 28 October 1978
Sex Pistols: Indecent Exposure (It's A Dirty Business) (Rotten Records – bootleg album)'Anarchy In The U.S.A.'/'Belsen Was A Gas' (Rotten Role – bootleg single). ...
Kirsty MacColl: A Chip Off The Old Block
Interview by Ian Birch, Smash Hits, 25 June 1981
"DON'T ASK A lot of questions about me Dad!" pleads Kirsty MacColl, flicking back the glorious swathe of hair dotted with tell-tale Red Indian braids. ...
The Adverts: Reading The Adverts
Profile and Interview by Ian Birch, Melody Maker, 6 August 1977
THE NEW WAVE scythe has brought about a dual personality in programming for a lot of the more established clubs. ...
Daryl Hall & John Oates: Hall & Oates: A Mutant Romance
Interview by Ian Birch, Sounds, 12 June 1976
Daryl Hall & John Oates – boy, if you think Dave Bowie had the Philly Soul enigma variations bag sown up with 'TVC 15' you're ...
Nils Lofgren: New Victoria, London
Live Review by Ian Birch, Sounds, 15 May 1976
I REALLY wanted to be knocked over, under, sideways, down by the concert. Especially after last November's disappointingly patchy performance. I mean right from those ...
The Damned, Ducks Deluxe, Rockpile: The Damned, Rockpile, Ducks Deluxe: Venue, London
Live Review by Ian Birch, Melody Maker, 13 January 1979
DESPITE THE eleventh hour location change, the Venue was packed. ...
The Human League: The Cyclic And Random Lyric Organisation System
Profile and Interview by Ian Birch, Melody Maker, 24 February 1979
CARLOS for short. IAN BIRCH talks to the Human League, Sheffield Novorockers with a weakness for torch ballads. ...
Rough Trade Records: The Humane Sell
Report and Interview by Ian Birch, Melody Maker, 10 February 1979
Rough Trade aim to break down the barrier between the consumers and the consumed. ...
The Jam: Invasion of the Riff Snatchers
Report and Interview by Ian Birch, Melody Maker, 28 April 1979
Can a bunch of ordinary guys repeat the British Invasion? IAN BIRCH watches the Jam take on America. ...
Profile and Interview by Ian Birch, Melody Maker, 24 March 1979
That's the Cure, the no-image band who do more with less to charismatic effect. IAN BIRCH probed the mystery. ...
Alternative TV: Vibing Up The Senile Man (Deptford Fun City Records)
Review by Ian Birch, Melody Maker, 3 March 1979
WHEN MARK Perry gave up editing Sniffin' Glue, he started a band that has turned out to be a logical extension of the famous punkzine. ...
Van Morrison: Into The Music (Mercury)
Review by Ian Birch, Melody Maker, 25 August 1979
NOWADAYS, PEOPLE don't so much discover Van Morrison as grow old with him. ...
The Skids: Scared To Dance (Virgin)
Review by Ian Birch, Melody Maker, 24 February 1979
PREPARE yourselves for a thorny contender. The Skids are a relatively new four-piece from Scotland who, apart from their current single 'Into The Valley', have ...
Siouxsie & The Banshees: The Giraffe Looked At Siouxsie
Report by Ian Birch, Melody Maker, 17 February 1979
"WHAT DO you think of it, then?" sneered Siouxsie Sioux as we slipped into the Kurfurstendamm, Berlin's notorious main strip, which is like Oxford Street ...
Interview by Ian Birch, Smash Hits, 28 April 1983
Deep in the jungle, something stirs. Strange drums beating, the cries of wild animals, a ghostly chanting sound...This, says lan Birch, can only mean one ...
Doll By Doll: Remember (Automatic Record Co.)
Review by Ian Birch, Melody Maker, 24 March 1979
AS OFTEN happens, the rock 'n' roll romance blows hot and then cold before it settles down to a realistic affair. ...
Kate Bush: 'What I Did On My Holidays' by Kate Bush, As Told To Ian Birch
Interview by Ian Birch, Melody Maker, June 1981
LATE LAST year not even jump leads would have revitalized the Kate Bush batteries. She was so exhausted that she took the only sensible course ...
Nina Hagen: Nina Hagen Band (CBS)
Review by Ian Birch, Melody Maker, 26 May 1979
SAY HELLO to the next Euro cult sensation. ...
Dusty Springfield: Theatre Royal, London
Live Review by Ian Birch, Melody Maker, 28 April 1979
IT WAS a significant week for Mary O'Brien. Not only did she turn 40 but, after endless cancellations of provincial dates due to sparse ticket ...
Village People: Go West (Mercury)
Review by Ian Birch, Melody Maker, 28 April 1979
FRONTIER experiments rise and fall, but showbiz pop goes on forever. It's always been that way, and there's nothing to suggest that the Eighties will ...
Bananarama: We All Broke Down And Cried
Interview by Ian Birch, Smash Hits, 15 March 1984
The last eight months have been a "nightmare" for Bananarama. Ian Birch finds out what went wrong. ...
Interview by Ian Birch, Smash Hits, 18 August 1983
A year ago Wham! made records and simply had fun. Now they've got managers, gossip columns and solo careers to worry about. Ian Birch hears ...
Duran Duran: On A Wing And A Prayer
Report and Interview by Ian Birch, Smash Hits, 19 August 1982
Duran Duran stop over in California and find they have to get out and push. Words: Ian Birch. ...
Shakin' Stevens: The Secret Life Of Shaky
Interview by Ian Birch, Smash Hits, 21 July 1983
He never gives interviews and keeps well out of the public eye. In fact, the 'real' Shakin' Stevens is a bit of a mystery. Ian ...
Michael Jackson: The Biggest Selling Solo Artist Of All Time
Report by Ian Birch, Smash Hits, 1 March 1984
Quiet out there. Michael Jackson's record company is throwing a party and Ian Birch has got an invite. A few famous folk, dancers in top ...
Bruce Springsteen, Patti Scialfa: Patti Scialfa: Red-Headed Woman
Profile and Interview by Ian Birch, Q, August 1993
ABOUT AN HOUR and a half from New York going south down the New Jersey Turnpike and then east on the Garden State Parkway is ...
Devo: We Are Devo. We Are The Next Thing
Interview by Ian Birch, Melody Maker, 25 February 1978
Ian Birch talks to an American band with heavy friends – like Eno and David Bowie ...
Brian Eno, Talking Heads: Talking Heads: More Songs About Buildings And Food (Sire)
Review by Ian Birch, Melody Maker, 15 July 1978
David Byrne (singing, guitars, synthesized percussion); Chris Frantz (drums, percussion); Jerry Harrison (piano, organs, synthesizer, guitar, background vocals); Tina Weymouth (bass) and Brian Eno (synthesizers, ...
Modern Romance: So This Is Romance?
Profile and Interview by Ian Birch, Smash Hits, 26 November 1981
Modern Romance start up a conga. Ian Birch mooseys on down to take a look. ...
The Human League: The Big League
Interview by Ian Birch, Smash Hits, 14 October 1981
1977 ― progressive, poverty-stricken, "hip". 1981 ― accepted, bankable... (and still "hip"!). Ian Birch charts the past and plots the present with The Human League. ...
Interview by Ian Birch, Smash Hits, 27 September 1984
... but they used to be. Wham! now think that their whole ''Bad Boys" look is "pathetic" and they "can't believe how many people bought ...
Heaven 17: Another Chapter In "The Rocky Road To The Top"
Interview by Ian Birch, Smash Hits, 12 May 1983
"I KNEW The Human League were about to break. We'll take a lot longer but we'll do it in the end." ...
Laurie Anderson: Ian Birch Investigates Wonderwoman
Profile and Interview by Ian Birch, Smash Hits, 15 October 1981
EVERY SO often a single snaps out of nowhere and startles everyone. You've probably never heard of the singer before (and few of them survive ...
Spinal Tap: This Is Spinal Tap (15)
Film/DVD/TV Review by Ian Birch, Smash Hits, 30 August 1984
Remember The Bad News Tour? How The Comic Strip tore into the ludicrous excesses of heavy metal groups? ...
British Electric Foundation, Heaven 17: Heaven 17… Or Music For Business And Pleasure
Report and Interview by Ian Birch, Smash Hits, 17 September 1981
BACK IN THE middle '70s, when punk snapped out of the woodwork, everyone wanted "complete control". It was a Robin Hood policy — steal from ...
David Sylvian: The Art Of Noise: David Sylvian
Profile and Interview by Ian Birch, Smash Hits, May 1984
What's David Sylvian been doing since Japan broke up? Taking Polaroids, traveling, organizing an exhibition – oh, and making a new record. "Art is my ...
Bucks Fizz: Let's Get Fizzical
Interview by Ian Birch, Smash Hits, 13 May 1982
Few groups ever survive thee Eurovision Song Contest. Bucks Fizz haven't justsurvived, they've flourished. Their UK record sales are topped only by The Human League. Ian Birch ...
Robert Palmer: The Palmer's Boy
Report and Interview by Ian Birch, Smash Hits, 14 April 1983
... Robert Palmer, that is. A maker of tasteful dance records for well over ten years. Big everywhere from Guatemala to the Costa Del Sol. ...
Shannon: "I'm The Same Old Shannon"
Interview by Ian Birch, Smash Hits, 2 August 1984
So says the one-time accountant from New York City who's now had three huge hits in Britain in only four months. Life's changed, but she ...
Interview by Ian Birch, Melody Maker, 10 December 1977
HAVE YOU noticed how a new category is being synthesised in the press? It had to happen, now that disillusion with new wave/punk mark one ...
Generation X: Valley Of The Dolls (Chrysalis CHR 1193)
Review by Ian Birch, Melody Maker, 3 February 1979
Style into junk ...
Johnny Thunders & the Heartbreakers: L.A.M.F. (Track 2409 218)
Review by Ian Birch, Melody Maker, 15 October 1977
LET'S DISPENSE with some inevitables. One. Heartbreakers Johnny Thunders and Jerry Nolan were originally part of, the New York Dolls and, of course, we all ...
Irene Cara: Flashdance and Irene Cara
Interview by Ian Birch, Dave Rimmer, Smash Hits, 23 June 1983
THE FILM It's going to be the big box-office smash of the summer. And Dave Rimmer's already seen it. ...
Profile by Ian Birch, Smash Hits, 11 June 1981
AUGUST DARNELL sounds like one of those mysterious names that invariably appear in the final credits of a movie or TV series. Could it be ...
Profile by Ian Birch, Smash Hits, 19 July 1984
That's what they call Prince back home in America. And not without reason: he's a huge star and his on-stage antics are just a little ...
Interview by Ian Birch, Smash Hits, 3 February 1983
"It's the sound of primal life," according to these five chaps from Leighton Buzzard. "That's just what I was going to say," replies Ian Birch. ...
Interview by Ian Birch, Smash Hits, 10 November 1983
"IT'S VERY strange the way things happen," muses Morrissey, 23-year-old singer, lyricist and general spokesman for the Smiths — a band with a growing live ...
Review by Ian Birch, Melody Maker, 11 November 1978
Manhattan cocktail ...
Profile and Interview by Ian Birch, Smash Hits, 24 June 1982
There's two sides to Dollar: light and dead serious. They both makes cents to Ian Birch. ...
Profile and Interview by Ian Birch, Smash Hits, 3 September 1981
Ian Birch previews the new Ultravox album with the help of Midge Ure + Chris Cross. ...
Brian Eno, Talking Heads: Talking Heads: More words about Eno and art
Interview by Ian Birch, Melody Maker, 29 July 1978
Ian Birch meets Talking Heads ...
La Düsseldorf: La Düsseldorf (Radar RAD 7)
Review by Ian Birch, Melody Maker, 15 July 1978
The Kraft of Düsseldorf ...
J.J. Cale: J.J. Acts Naturally
Profile and Interview by Ian Birch, Sounds, 17 April 1976
Which means he doesn't talk much. But Ian Birch gives us the full low-down on the low-key Mr. Cale. ...
Japan: Say Hello, Wave Goodbye?
Interview by Ian Birch, Smash Hits, 4 February 1982
"I don't know how long the break's going to be," says David Sylvian. "Maybe three months or four or longer." Japan make plans. Ian Birch ...
Interview by Ian Birch, Smash Hits, 17 March 1983
They came by the lorryload.Thanks to you, we got the biggest response ever to a Question and Answer feature. We plucked out the best and ...
Altered Images: "We Were Running When We Could Only Walk"
Interview by Ian Birch, Smash Hits, 31 March 1983
One moment Altered Images were everyone's heroes; the next they hadn't got a friend in the world. What happened? Ian Birch finds out. ...
Blue Öyster Cult: R.U. ready 2 rock?
Interview by Ian Birch, Melody Maker, 4 February 1978
Blue Oyster Cult's ALLEN LANIER talks to Ian Birch in New York ...
Daryl Hall & John Oates: Hall & Oates: This One's Daryl & This One's John
Profile and Interview by Ian Birch, Smash Hits, 17 March 1983
And this is Ian Birch reporting from the American headquarters of Hall & Oates, the most successful double act in recording history ...
Bananarama, Fun Boy Three: Fun Boy Three & Bananarama
Interview by Ian Birch, Smash Hits, 21 January 1982
CAST YOUR eyes to the right. You know the gents. That's a walkover. It's the Fun Boy Three. ...
Roogalator: Play It By Ear (Do It)
Review by Ian Birch, Melody Maker, 25 February 1978
A JINX HAS to hang over Roogalator, despite their having one of the great names. ...
The Only Ones, Television: Television, The Only Ones: City Hall, Newcastle
Live Review by Ian Birch, Melody Maker, 15 April 1978
Chilling Verlaine ...
The Clash, Suicide: Music Machine, London
Live Review by Ian Birch, Melody Maker, 29 July 1978
NO TWO ways about it. All I can do is echo and re-emphasise Chris Brazier's sentiments in MM of two issues ago: the Clash are ...
Review by Ian Birch, Melody Maker, 25 February 1978
BOSTON (OR should I say Bosstown?) Massachusetts is also undergoing a Modern World Revival. Former inmates like Aerosmith, J. Geils and even the Modern Lovers ...
Interview by Ian Birch, Smash Hits, 18 August 1983
THE LETTERS ARRIVED IN LARGE QUANTITIES. WE SELECTED THE BEST QUESTIONS, GAVE THEM TO IAN BIRCH, AND SAT BACK AND WAITED FOR THE ANSWERS. AND ...
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